Christmas Gifts For A World Traveler

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We all have that one super cool relative or friend who travels all over the world collecting adventures like other people collect matchbooks from favorite restaurants. I have a preponderance of lawyer world-traveler friends, along with lawyer-adjacent friends, who are off to a new glamorous or historically significant location every other weekend. That’s too exhausting for me personally but I love living vicariously through them.

We like to send them off each year with a little travel helpmate that’ll remind them to keep texting us those pictures.

Epic Christmas Gifts For A World Traveler

Adventure Awaits Travel Journal & Pencil

A few of my globetrotters like to stay analog on their vacations – at least for recording their private thoughts and impressions about their travels. Some things are meant for Instagram, some memories are meant to be cherished privately.

Clear vinyl bag

Rain, sleet, or snow, the TSA is always going to want you to take out your liquids unless you’ve got PreCheck. Even then, you want to keep your liquids safely separated from the rest of your things in case anything explodes or leaks.

Travel Pillow Throw & Tuck

Laundry Bag

If you’re on the road for more than a couple days at a time, it’s a good idea to separate your dirty clothes from the clean clothes. Bonus: this is the right place to stash a couple packets of detergent if they like to do their own laundry every few days for longer trips.

Travel Bottles

When your traveler really cares about their toiletries, and I can name at least 6 male and female friends to whom this applies, hotel shampoo and conditioner all in one and bar soap simply won’t cut it. They can always use another set of bottles for their longer trips – I don’t know anyone who’s picky about their soaps and only needs 2-3 ounces for a couple weeks overseas.

Zipper Pulls

It’s inevitable for zipper pulls (and handles, and wheels) to break after traveling many thousands of miles. We like to gift some backups that will also help distinguish their luggage from everyone else’s on the conveyor belt.

Slim Laptop Backpack

Weekender Backpack

For the other end of the spectrum, this backpack is the maximum allowable size for a carry-on that will fit in the overhead compartment and let them skip the checked baggage lines entirely if they so desire.

Collapsible Water Bottle

Power Strip

Have you ever checked into a hotel room ready to sit down and do a bit of work, only to find there’s exactly ONE open power outlet? Yeah, that stinks. That’s why these power strips are fantastic – you and a travel companion can power up your phones and laptops at the same time.